Discourse on Imposing Malacca Strait Tolls, Dino: Bad Idea, Could Damage Indonesia's Reputation

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The discourse on Indonesia imposing tolls on ships passing through the Malacca Strait waters is regarded as a very poor foreign policy initiative. The realisation of such tolling would even collapse Indonesia’s reputation as one of the countries that architected international maritime law.

Former Deputy Foreign Minister of Indonesia Dino Patti Djalal stated that the imposition of passage tolls in strait waters is not recognised in the context of international maritime law.

“That’s a bad idea,” said Dino when responding to Republika’s questions in an interview session at Atma Jaya University in Jakarta on Thursday (23/4/2026).

Dino, the founder and CEO of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), reminded President Prabowo Subianto’s administration not to take the discourse on implementing passage tolls in the Malacca Strait seriously. Because if implemented, it would damage Indonesia’s reputation.

“I hope it’s just discourse. Because if realised, it would greatly affect Indonesia’s reputation and standing as an architect of international maritime law that has been hard-fought since 1982,” Dino said.

Dino also felt compelled to criticise the discourse on passage tolls in the Malacca Strait waters. Because, after all, he is the son of one of the figures in the formulation of international maritime law from Indonesia, the late Hasjim Djalal.

Dino explained that Indonesia is one of the countries that formulated international maritime laws. Indonesia’s role in formulating international maritime law also impacted the control of the Java Sea, Sulawesi Sea, Arafura Sea, and Banda Sea waters to become part of and the unified Republic of Indonesia.